Fever
by kokomocalifornia
Summary: Sam is sick and there are only two things he needs, Dean and John.


_Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is just my little silly story. _

**Author Note**: Hey guys, I'm still working on Meet the Family but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to update yet. This story however, I just had to get out of my head. Hope you enjoy. I really need the feedback to spur me on! Un-beta-ed.

**N.B**. This story occurs while Sam is at college. _One-shot_

**FEVER**

Sam tossed and turned. Sweat glistened on his skin and made his pyjamas stick to him uncomfortably.

Jessica reached over and pulled the thermometer out of her boyfriend's mouth. 103.7 it read. She made a vow to herself, if it gets to 103.8; she's calling an ambulance.

Sam turned away from where she sat on the side of their bed. 'Dean' he muttered. 'Dean.' Sam's brow furrowed. 'Dad. Please.' It almost sounded to Jess like he was crying. But she had never seen Sam cry. He wasn't one of those emotional guys.

'Dean. Dean. Dean!' he began to yell.

Jess had no idea what to do. They had only been living together for a month and a half. She was pretty sure Dean was his brother, but Sam _never _talked about his family. Was he just delirious or did he really need his Dad and brother?

'Dean please. I'm sorry. Dean!' he said again.

'Sam, who's Dean? Your brother? Why do you need him so bad?'

For a moment Sam opened his eyes and the glaze that had been fixed over them for the past few days cleared slightly. 'I need my brother. Jess, I need Dad and Dean. Please. No hospitals. We need to get away from them. They'll take us away.'

By now it was 2am on a Sunday morning. Sam through the fever seemed to know what he was talking about, even if it didn't make sense to Jess. Sighing, she reached over and picked up Sam's cell phone.

Jess scrolled down the list until she found Dean's number.

Pausing for a moment she glanced back at Sam. He was sleeping again and she picked up the discarded washcloth that lay beside his pillow and replaced it on his brow. She hit the call button.

Ring-Ring.

Ring-Ring.

Ring-Ring.

Ring-Ring.

She was just about to hang up when a sleepy voice answered the phone. 'Hello.'

'Hi. Um, is this Dean?'

Suddenly his voice became alert and suave. 'Yeah this is. May I ask what a pretty voiced girl like you is calling me at this time of the morning?'

Jessica actually rolled her eyes. 'My name is Jessica. I'm your brother's girlfriend.'

Once again the man's voice changed. This time it was urgent and concerned. 'What's wrong with Sammy? Is he okay?'

Jessica could hear another man talking in the background.

'He's really sick. He's got a high fever that I can't seem to get down. He just keeps saying "no hospitals" and crying out for you and your Dad.'

'You at your place?'

'Yes.'

'We'll be there in about forty minutes.'

'Do you even know where we live?'

'Yeah. Of course I do.' What does that mean, Jessica thought.

Before she could respond the line went dead.

Jessica went back into the room resuming her position next to Sam. She held his hand and prayed that his fever would go down and waited until Sam's supposed brother and father arrived.

While how horrible the situation was, she was kind of excited at the same time.

* * *

Jessica awoke to a loud banging on the door. She hadn't meant to fall asleep.

She looked over at the sleeping but troubled Sam and suddenly she realised who would be at the door. She rushed up, attempting to smooth out her clothes and straighten her hair unsuccessfully; she opened the door but left the chain on. You could never be too careful Sam always said.

Two men stood outside. 'Jessica?' One man asked. She recognized his voice from the phone.

'Yeah' she replied but didn't open the door.

'I'm Dean and this is John, my Dad.' The man called John nodded to her.

Finally she opened the door.

The two men quickly entered the apartment. She inspected both of them. Dean was sure handsome. Not quite as cute as Sam, but he was handsome in a manly way. She looked at John. He was kind of rough but she could see elements of Sam in him. The way he held himself, the eyes, and the mannerisms. Any doubt in her mind fled. They were Sam's mysterious family for sure.

'Sam's in the bedroom.' John and Dean followed her towards the back of the apartment.

Overtaking Jessica once they sighted the room Dean ran to Sam's side grasping his hand while John entered the room and stood hesitantly next to the door.

At the moment the two eldest Winchesters had entered the room it was as if Sam suddenly knew they were there. He attempted to lift his head and said weakly, 'Dean. Dad.' Before losing the little strength he had and fell back down on the bed.

'We're here Sammy' Dead said. Sam seemed to instantly relax when he heard those words.

John still stood against the wall. 'When did this all begin?'

Jessica turned away from the two brothers to look at him. 'He's been sick for the past week and a half but he wouldn't admit it. It was only when he collapsed in the kitchen yesterday morning that he couldn't try to hide it anymore.'

Dean mumbled, 'Why do you always have to hide things Sammy? Always pretend you're okay?'

A pained-filled murmur was the only response he got from Sam.

'I tried to take him to a doctor but he wouldn't let me. He keep saying something about that they would take him away.'

Sam heard the words "doctor" and "away" and became terrified. 'No. Please Dad. Don't let the evil doctor take me away. I'll be better. I'll be more careful next time. I didn't mean for the gun to jam. I'll take another just in case. Please Dad. Dean!'

Dean and John locked eyes. 'He must be delirious from the fever. He's having flashbacks to that … accident … in Milwaukee.'

'What happened in Milwaukee?' Jess inquired.

'Sam and Dean got hurt in an accident while we were there. So bad that I had to take them to the ER. A doctor thought the injuries looked suspicious and called Social Services on me.' John replied. 'They tried to take Sam especially away from Dean and I. Luckily we managed to prove the doctor wrong. I would never harm my boys.'

'Dad. Dad. Dad!' Sam cried out. John could no longer stay at a distance from his baby boy. He rushed over and placed his big calloused hand on Sam's cheek. The boy instantly calmed. John whispered, 'I'm here Sam. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay.'

Sam rolled his head so that he leant further into his father's touch. John sighed before gently nudging Dean out of the way. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled Sammy up into a tight hug holding him to his chest. The last time John had held either of his boy's this way was the night that he was given 'clearance' to take his boys home from the social worker.

I wish that I had been able to do this more often, John thought.

Dean stepped back from the bed. He turned to Jess, 'how high is his fever?'

'It was 103.7 about an hour ago. I'll check it again now.'

She picked up the thermometer from the bedside table and gently placed it under Sam's tongue, who was still resting in his father's arms. A minute later she pulled it out.

'His fever's gone up, it's 103.9. I really think we should take him to the hospital. His fever's too high!' Jessica exclaimed worriedly.

John however ignored the poor girl. 'Dean. Go run a bath. You know what to do.'

'Come on Jess. Come help me. We need lots of ice. Hurry.'

Jessica went to get as much ice as she could hurry without uttering another word.

Dean thought, 'Sammy likes a girl who follows orders, but won't follow them himself. Talk about double standards!'

Dean ran the bath quickly with cold water. Jessica returned and having figured out what they were up to began dumping the ice into the tub. It quickly filled and Dean called out for John to bring Sam.

John had undressed Sam down to his boxers only when he carried him into the bathroom. He gently dumped the boy into the bath who cried out in shock.

'Shh, Sammy. It's okay. It's to bring your fever down.'

Sam began to struggle to get out and Dean and John had to hold him down. Sam's body finally adjusted to the cold, even though he was shivering greatly, but his fighting stopped.

Fifteen minutes later John was satisfied that Sam's core body temperature had gone down that they pulled him out of the bath. As Sam's body had no energy at all, John held Sam up while Dean dried him off and dressed him in clean pyjamas Jess had brought in.

The girl marvelled at the family. Without uttering a single word or using one descriptive gesture, they knew exactly what the other was doing. Amazing!

Sam was placed back into bed who settled down peacefully into the sheets. His fever had broken.

John sat on the only chair in the room in the corner next to the door. Jessica sat on the dresser chair beside the bed. Dean lay on the bed next to Sam. Sam in his sleep rolled over and curled an arm around his big brother. Dean wrapped his arm around Sam's shoulders. The two looked so comfortable it made Jess feel like an outsider.

A few hours passed and it was nearing 7am. John suddenly stood up and nodded to Dean. And once again without another word spoken Dean began to carefully untangle himself form Sam and stood to leave.

'You're leaving?' Jess whispered.

'Yeah. It's probably for the best. Delirious Sam is a happy Sam, but awake Sam is an angsty one. It would be good if you didn't tell him that we were here. It's just going to bring up a lot of unresolved issues that you really don't want to.' Jessica nodded.

Dean leant over Sam. 'I'll be seeing you soon Sammy. Stay out of trouble.' He ran one of his hands down the side of Sam's face. As he turned to leave the room he turned back and added for good measure, 'bitch'. He bowed his head at Jessica as he left.

Jessica almost thought she saw Sam smile in his sleep.

John then went to Sam. 'Get well Sam. I know we have our issues but that doesn't change the fact that I love you. You're my son.' He kissed Sammy on the forehead and went to Jess.

'We'll see ourselves out. Thank-you Jessica.'

'Please wait. There are so many questions I want to ask you. Why did Sa-'

'I'm sorry. That's for another time or for Sam to tell you.'

* * *

Sam woke up around midday feeling awful, but the best he had felt in a long time.

'You're awake Sam!' cried a happy Jess.

'Yeah. Just.' Jessica sat on the bed and put her arms around him.

'I had the weirdest dream. It seemed so real.'

Jess said nothing.

Sam sniffed. 'Was someone here? It smells like De-, ah was there?'

'I don't know what you're talking about Sam' she lied.

'Never mind.'

A silent pause.

'Why don't you ever tell me about you're family? Why don't you ever have contact with them?'

'Why should it matter. It's complicated.'

Just answer me one thing.' Sam looked her in the eye.

'Do you love them?'

Without hesitation he responded, 'Yes. Of course.'

'That's all I need to know.'

* * *

Dean stood next to Sam in the living of their apartment. Jessica had just entered in her smurf pyjamas.

'Oh! So this is your brother Dean' said Jess.

Sam turned to look at her thinking that this was their first meeting, while Dean gave her a wink behind his back.

'If only Sammy knew' thought Dean.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.


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